1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the construction tool accessories industry, and more specifically to removable attachments such as a drill bit retained in a power tool or non-powered hand tool. The present invention relates to the field of professional and homeowner construction and removable accessories used with power and/or no power tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following 11 patents and published patent applications are the closest prior art known to the inventor.
1. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 314,699 issued to Patricia L. Tamosaitis et al. on Feb. 19, 1991 for TOOL ACCESSORY HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR A DRILL (hereafter the “Tamosaitis Design Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,661 issued to Alfiero Balzano on Oct. 15, 1990 for TOOL CADDY (hereafter the “Balzano Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,525 issued to Tommie L. Ector on Sep. 22, 1998 for TOOL AND BIT BAND FOR DRILLS (hereafter the “Ector Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,253 issued to Mark E. Brunson on Jun. 11, 2002 for WORKER'S AID SYSTEM AND MODIFIED GLOVE (hereafter the “Brunson Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,323 issued to Brenda J. Chalmers on Dec. 17, 2002 for CARRYING CASE ASSEMBLY FOR MAGNET-ATTRACTING OBJECTS (hereafter the “Chalmers Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,965 issued to Matthew J. Holland et al. on Jan. 13, 2004 for TOOL POUCH WITH MAGNET IN THE POUCH (hereafter the “Holland Patent”);
7. United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/0185414 to Jonathan Eric Conlon on Aug. 7, 2008 for TOOL POUCH WITH MAGNETS (hereafter the “Conlon Published Patent Application”);
8. United States Published Patent Application No. 2009/0314813 to Andre A. Woolery on Dec. 24, 2009 for MAGNETIC TOOL HOLSTER (hereafter the “Woolery Published Patent Application);
9. U.S. Design Pat. No. D684,764 issued to Roger N. Sigonin on Jun. 25, 2013 for DRILL BIT STORAGE FOR TOOL POUCH (hereafter the “Sigonin Design Patent”);
10. Chinese Patent No. CN2850379Y issued to Kunlin Xiao on Dec. 27, 2006 for FULL-ENCLOSED MAGNETIC POCKET (hereafter the Xiao Chinese Patent”);
11. PCT Application No. WO 2013/026988 to Fabien Escherich on Feb. 28, 2013 for MAGNETIC BIT HOLDER BRACELET DEVICE (hereafter the “Escherich PCT Application”).
The Campbell Patent discloses a holder for staples, carpet tacks, nails, screws and other discrete magnetizable items. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A holder for a box of staples or loose carpet tacks, nails, screws and the like discrete magnetizable items is provided. A magnet is located on the underneath side of the top closure member for the holder to which a plurality of loose carpet tacks may become attached and which are separated from a supply thereof when the holder is shaken, making for easy, safe and injury free retrieval of carpet tracks from the holder by a carpet installer.        
The Tamosaitis Patent discloses a holder for various items which can be retained within the various adjacent loop configurations.
The Balzano Patent discloses:                “A tool caddy is disclosed herein for releasably retaining a plurality of hand tools and hand tool accessories, which includes a base having a plurality of resilient retainers mounted thereon adapted to snap-lock with tools or accessories. An attachment device is carried on the base for detachably mounting the caddy to the wrist, belt or tool so that the accessories are readily available to the user during a work procedure. The attachment device may take the form of a hook and pile fastener directly carried on the base or carried on the ends of a strap. A belt loop is also contemplated as an attachment device.”        
The Ector Patent discloses a tool band which is wrapped around an item such as a drill and the accessories are retained within the band. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A tool holding assembly for placement around a handle portion and/or a body portion of a portable hand drill. The assembly includes a first elastic sleeve and a second elastic sleeve which are adapted for placement over the handle portion of the drill. The second sleeve partially overlaps the first sleeve, thereby providing additional tension to retain drill bits and other tools against the handle portion of the drill. The assembly may also include a third elastic sleeve which is adapted for placement over the body portion of the drill, and which is particularly disposed for retaining an elongate shank of a drill bit or the like. Together the various sleeves allow drill accessories such as drill bits, drill gimlets, and related tools to be retained upon the drill by tension of the elastic sleeves against the drill. The elastic sleeves are formed of any resilient material, however, rubber is preferred.”        
The Brunson Patent discloses a worker's glove which the worker can use when performing a construction project. The worker's glove has built into it a container which is located at the back portion of the hand. The container has magnetic side walls extending above the mounting surface and having a permanent magnet secured to the container between the side walls. The magnet is operable to attract and secure fasteners within the container such that the side walls inhibit the inadvertent contact by the worker using the device while enabling ready access to the fasteners by the worker.
The Chalmers Patent discloses a carrying case for tools. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A magnet 17 is conventionally disposed between the pieces of semi-rigid material 13,14. The magnet 17 is a rectangular plate which is disposed in the first half portion 15 of the pieces of semi-rigid material 13,14 between the inner and outer pieces of semi-rigid material 13,14. The magnet 17 is adapted to hold magnet-attracting objects thereto upon the inner piece of the semi-rigid material 14. A pocket 18 is conventionally disposed upon one of the pieces of semi-rigid material 13,14. The pocket 18 is disposed upon the second half portion 16 of the pieces of semi-rigid material 13,14 and upon the inner piece of semi-rigid material 14. The pocket 18 including a piece of material having side and bottom edges which are conventionally attached and sewn to the inner piece of semi-rigid material 14.”        
The Holland Patent discloses a tool pouch with magnet in the pouch. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A tool pouch having a pocket with an opening to receive certain items. The pocket includes a magnetic member near the top of the pocket for holding items received in the pocket. The magnetic member assists in arranging items in the pocket.”        
The Conlon Published Patent Application discloses the uses of magnets on one side of a pocket and magnets on the opposite side of the pocket which have opposite polarities to repel each other which therefore keeps the pocket in the tool pouch open.
The Woolery Published Patent Application discloses a magnetic tool holster. Specifically, the patent application discloses:                “A magnetic holder/holster device is disclosed. The device includes a holster body to hold a tool, one or more magnets coupled to the surface of the body for holding work items, a securing strap, and an apparatus to removably attach to a belt. The one or more magnets are distributed across the surface so as to allow metallic work items to be secured to substantially all points of the surface. In some embodiments, the magnets are permanently coupled to the surface of the device. In some embodiments, the magnets are removably attached to the surface. In operation, the magnetic tool holder/holster allows a worker wearing the holder/holster device to securely hold metallic work items readily accessible on the magnetic holder/holster body via the magnetic attraction of the magnets. The magnetic tool holder/holster has the advantage of preventing the spilling of metallic work items as wells as making them more convenient to use by ensuring secure and convenient placing capabilities.”        
The Sigouin Design Patent discloses the concept of a pouch with a multiplicity of slots on the outside which retain various objects such as tools and drill bits.
The Xiao Chinese Patent discloses a fully enclosed magnetic pocket comprised of a pocket body and a pocket cover where the edges on the pocket cover are connected with the pocket body and wherein the periphery of a pocket mouth, which is buckled with the pocket cover, is provided with magnetic strips which are attracted to each other. This simply is a closing mechanism for the pocket using magnets.
The Escherich PCT Application discloses a magnetic bit holder bracelet device. Specifically, the PCT Application discloses:
“The subject of the present invention is a magnetic bit-holder bracelet device intended to be worn by a user on his wrist and to hold screwdriver or similar bits (1). It comprises a bracelet (2′) made of plastic, that can be attached or fixed to said wrist, incorporating, over all or part of its circumference, a row of pockets (3′) and holder cavities (4′) built into said bracelet (2′), each formed by one of said pockets (3′) or attached to said bracelet (2′), each in one of said pockets (3′) and able to house axially, and removably, one of said bits (1), the blind end of each holder cavity (4′) comprising a magnet able to apply a magnetic force of attraction to the bit (1) concerned in order to retain and hold it in the relevant holding cavity (4′).”